1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to distributed computations and more particularly relates to distributed computations for spectrum monitoring in wireless communications networks.
2. Related Art
The invention disclosed herein is related to copending U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 09/401,408, filed Sep. 22, 1999, entitled xe2x80x9cSelf-Configurable Wireless Systems: Spectrum Monitoring In A Layered Configuration,xe2x80x9d by Mathilde Benveniste, assigned to ATandT Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
A method is disclosed for performing a distributed computation for RF Management in a wireless communications network. The computation involves a sequence of computation stages. The wireless network has a plurality of base stations, each base station contributing data the computation. Each base station engages in a respective stage of the distributed computation. The sequence in which the base stations are engaged in the computation, known as the xe2x80x9cfollower orderxe2x80x9d, is specified in advance and is known to all the base stations. The method includes the step of beginning a first stage of the computation at a first base station in the specified sequence and performing each of the plurality of computation stages by a respective nth one of the plurality of base stations, the nth base station having access to a corresponding data set x(n). The method continues by computing a decision vector p(n) with the respective nth base station in a follower order, wherein the nth base station commences computation only after it receives a decision vector p(nxe2x88x921) from an (nxe2x88x921)th predecessor base station, the nth base station using the decision vector p(nxe2x88x921) in its own computation of p(n). The last decision vector is sent from the last base station to the first base station, thereby completing the computation. The method concludes by broadcasting the last decision vector to all base stations. Safeguards are provided that enable the successful completion of the computation in case of node or communication failures.